Mobility impaired people, such as those suffering from paraplegia, are often confined to a wheelchair and this serves as their only means of mobility. The extent of mobility provided by a wheelchair is limited. In addition, being confined for long periods to a wheelchair causes health problems.
To prevent such health problems, various training systems have been developed to help a mobility impaired person exercise their lower limbs to assist in muscle mass retention and increase circulation. Some such training systems comprise non-motorised brace systems that are worn by the user to help them perform locomotive exercises.
More recently, motorised or powered bracing systems, walking aids, and gait-locomotor apparatuses have been proposed to assist a mobility impaired person perform daily functional locomotive activities, such as walking. Such systems typically comprise an exoskeleton that is attached to the user and which includes leg sections having corresponding thigh, shin and foot portions that are connected with hip, knee and ankle joints. Actuators are provided for moving the thigh, shin and foot portions of the leg sections and the actuators may be operated by a joystick or other control system to effect a human gait. Such systems encounter stability problems, especially when moving across uneven terrain and when they encounter other external disturbances, including movement of the user's upper body relative to the exoskeleton. To assist with stability, the user is typically required to use crutches in combination with such powered walking aids.
In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents is not to be construed as an admission that such documents, or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art, or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a stable walking aid that is capable of fully supporting the user when in motion, or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.